Introduction
Network graphs are a way of representing connections or relationships between objects. In a network chart, objects are represented as points or “nodes” and connections between objects are represented as links. Also known as node-link diagrams, network charts are ideal for visualizing social networks, corporate structures or any other network of relationships.
Anatomy of a network graph
A network chart typically consists of a few elements: nodes or points that represent the objects being connected, as well as links that represent the relationships between the nodes. It is common to size the points according to a numerical value, and they can also be supplemented with an image.
Using the Flourish’s free Network Graph template, you can add directional arrows on the links to indicate the direction of the connection. This can be useful for understanding the flow of data or communication between nodes.
Data structure
To create a Flourish network graph, you need to organize your data into two separate sheets. One sheet should list all the points you want to visualize, along with their relevant information. The second sheet should define the connections or links between those points.
Points sheet
You need one column that will serve as a unique identifier for each point in the network – like our column A . If you’d like to have points of different size, you also need a numerical column to size by – such is our column B . You also have the option to add additional information, such as a category to color by (C ) or images.
A
B
C
D
Character
Size (by importance)
Legend
Image
Zeus
10
God
https://public.flourish.studio/uploads/.../image.png
Alcmene
3
Mortal
Image URL
Heracles
5
Demigod
Image URL
Links sheet
Once you’ve defined all points you need visualized, you can then connect them in the Links sheet. You need two columns – one for the source point (A ) and another one for the target point (B ). If you wish, you can add a third column to assign a numerical value for the thickness of the links. This allows you to highlight the strength or importance of the connections, providing additional information and emphasis in your network graph.
A
B
C
Source point
Target point
Size of link
Zeus
Alcmene
3
Zeus
Heracles
2
Alcmene
Heracles
2
Resources
Here are some resources to help you get started with network graphs:
